


A Shoulder to Cry On

by hanaxsongs



Series: Persona 5 Oneshots [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: After the Interrogation Room Scene, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Persona 5 Spoilers, light spoilers, mostly hurt/comfort tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:21:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26110096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanaxsongs/pseuds/hanaxsongs
Summary: Hifumi visits Ren after the events of November 20. Light Spoilers.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Togo Hifumi, Kurusu Akira/Togo Hifumi, Persona 5 Protagonist/Togo Hifumi
Series: Persona 5 Oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895767
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	A Shoulder to Cry On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Digi9797](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digi9797/gifts).



The sky was grey, the sun cloaked behind a dense layer of cloud as rain fell heavily towards the ground, splattering against the pavement, Hifumi avoiding the pools that have settled on the worn concrete as she made her way towards Leblanc. Three days after the news had revealed the death of the Phantom Thief leader she waited to bravely venture out towards the forgotten cafe, to her boyfriend, her polished school shoes wet from the rain as she wandered around Yongen-Jaya. She turned into the quiet alleyway, spotting the red and white tent that hung lazily above, sticking out the rows of buildings, a sign with the words 'Leblanc' printed onto a black boarded sign. She adjusted the strap of her bag that slung on her shoulders, her grip on the handle of her umbrella, and approached the worn wooden door.

She gently swung it open, the warm smell of bitter coffee and spices from curry greeted her, listless yellow lights danced on her form as she gently folded away her umbrella at the doorstep, shaking and tapping away the drops of water that clung onto the slightly textured surface. Hifumi gave a short, polite greeting to Sojiro; a man she came to know after being invited multiple times to the cafe by her boyfriend, before she crossed the seating area, clambering the old, dusty stairs that lay against the end of the cafe walls.

"Ren?" she asked gently as she poked her head from the bottom of the attic floor, her dark- green eyes scanning for his slim, familiar form.

She spotted him, her eyes snapping naturally at his lying form as she climbs further up towards the stairs. Hifumi could see the rising and falling of his breathing as he had his back turned from her, yet he did not stir as she continued her ascent. It seemed however that she was acknowledged regardless as a feline, black and white with a yellow collar around its neck, hopped from his arms and over his sleeping body and towards Hifumi.

"Hello, Morgana," Hifumi greeted quietly, squatting frown and reaching down to pet the cat, Morgana's short fur silky to the touch as she stroked his back as the cat let out a soft purr, "You've been taking care of him, weren't you?"

The cat nodded as if understanding Hifumi's words, his blue slitted eyes looked at her full of worry as he gestured towards Ren.

"Is he okay?" she asked softly, Morgana replying with a sad meow, yet Hifumi felt as though she understood him as she gave him another pat on the head.

"Thank you, Morgana, but I can take it from here," she said softly, and Morgana nods before retreating onto the old couch that looked like a study desk, curling up on the soft leather, the best he could do to give them privacy as he closed his eyes.

"Ren?" She called out to him, approaching him with soft steps, the floor creaked under her weight. She could see him jump as if just waking from his shallow nap, surprised by her voice.

"Hifumi?" he mumbled turning on his side, eyes unfocused as they flickered towards her, blinking himself awake before swinging his legs off the bed. He took a moment, a yawn escaping from his throat. He reached for his glasses, putting them on his face, and he pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Hello," she said, smiling at him as she took her seat next to him on his bed, resting her bag and hands on her lap, "How are you?"

"I'm okay," Ren answered her question, yet his bleary eyes told otherwise, filled with hurt and sadness, exhaustion of carrying the weight upon his shoulders evident as he weakly smiled at her. She wished he didn't put on a mask of wellness for her, the frames of his back glasses accenting the windows of the lens he saw her through with; it was as if he had a barrier between the both of them, hiding from the world - and consequently her as well.

"How are you doing yourself?" he asked her, his voice too betrayed the exhaustion he felt, yet Hifumi did not have the tact to call him out.

"I'm fine," she responds, hints of concern accented her voice as she spoke in an elegant whisper, "When they had reported that the Leader of the Phantom Thieves was dead... I was... worried about you. I knew that you were okay, that you had everything thought out. But..."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Ren apologised to her as he reached for her hand, "I couldn't tell anyone, not anyone outside the Phantom Thieves, too risky,"

"I know, and I shouldn't feel angry-"

"You have a right to be angry," Ren insisted, "Hifumi I could have actually died, we were dealing with a dangerous enemy, if something had gone wrong-"

"I know," she assured him, "And I... I was but... but Ren-"

"Yes, Hifumi?" he asked.

"I'm..."

She didn't have the heart to say what was on her mind.

"What is it, Hifumi?"

"I'm more worried," she hesitated; "I'm more worried about you now,"

"What are you talking about?" Ren laughed forcefully as Hifumi's eyebrows furrowed, his smile weighed by the smudges of black sitting upon the lines that hung below his eyes. He still had the bruises from the interrogation, a gauze plastering over one of his cheeks, small cuts that were just starting to scab over, and she could see one that cut into his lip. The smile, however, the smile he gave to her, unnerved her greatly. Did he not see what she is seeing? His condition? The bags under his eyes? The way he winced as she slipped her hand out from his grip to gently caress his face?

"I'm fine, Hifumi; really," he continued to repeat as he forced himself to shrug off the hand she laid on his bruised cheek.

She stares at him for a moment.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes!" he exclaimed insistently. She could barely believe him, her look of suspicion towards him evident, yet he continued to try and persuade her.

"Hifumi, I'm fine," he said, gesturing towards himself, "I'm just having trouble sleeping, that's all,"

A small admittance of weakness, enough to incur slight trickles of tears in which he blinked away.

"Is it anything to do with you've been through?" she continued to prod for answers, determined to decipher what was bothering him, to get him to confess about his troubles, "Or is it something unrelated? Just having some sleepless nights?"

"Yeah," Ren answered vaguely, his gaze looking through her, as if avoidant with answering her question, "I've...not been sleeping well, I'm just worried,"

"About what?" Hifumi asked, and Ren realised his mistake.

"Nothing," he replied hastily, now turning away from her, his gaze fixating on the shelf of souvenirs next to his bed. It was now evident he was hiding something from her, noticing the way his shoulders drooped, the way his eyelids sagged from under the frames of his glasses.

"Ren-"

"So, are we playing some shogi, today?" he changes the conversation, forcing a smile, another mask as he gestured towards her then forgotten bag, "I was thinking about some new strategies earlier, and I would like to try them out,"

"I... I don't feel like playing shogi actually," Hifumi informs Ren, expression tired.

His jaw drops.

"Hifumi, are you okay?" he prods assertively, and Hifumi wonders why he wasn't more concerned about himself. 

"I'm not," she mumbled, her hands curling into fists, clutching the fringe of her skirt. Her voice was quiet, too quiet, Hifumi hiding her own sadness from her boyfriend as Ren strained his ears to hear her.

"Hifumi, I can't hear y-"

"I said, I'm not," she shouted, both Ren and Morgan flinched in surprise, "Ren, I understand that you're trying your best to take care of me, that you're trying to protect me but,"

She wipes a stray tear as more roll down her face. Ren doesn't dare say anything, his expression blank as he gazed down to look at her.

"You're hurt," she whispers after a long pause, "I can see the bags under your eyes. I may not know what's going on; I'm barely a Phantom Thief, and it makes me worry, Ren. It makes me worry to have to sit on the sidelines, having to wait for you to come back safely. You act like someone who has the whole world on his shoulders, that the burdens you face are secret; that you have to face them alone,"

She sobbed. Ren reached for her, gently pulling her close to his body, Hifumi's head resting on his chest. She could hear his heart beating, the fabric of his jumper soft as he reached for her beautiful brown hair, running his fingers through it as Hifumi allows more tears to stain her face.

"I thought you died, Ren," she admits, allowing her to relax in his comforting hold, the last stray tears trickling down her soft cheeks, "And to see you like this... I..."

She trails off, Ren's arms tightened around her, pulling her closer to his comforting warmth. Neither of them dared to say anything. They stayed in each other's embrace, listening to the patter of the rain that echoed through the slightly opened window of the attic. Hifumi relaxed. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to live in the moment. Both of them shared relaxed breaths between each other.

She barely felt the first sob that escaped his throat, yet she felt a hot drop on her cheek, followed by another, and another. She looked up to see Ren's eyes, squinted and red as tears fell freely down, him squeezing them tight as his sobs got louder, and he pulled her closer to his chest, as if not wanting to let go, not wanting to lose her.

"I'm sorry," he cried, voice low and wavering as he squeezed her shoulders. She could tell that he was struggling to suppress his tears as if the act of crying was an unspeakable sin; she could feel his stomach spasm as he continued to swallow his sobs, choking as even more tears rolled down his face, "I'm sorry I made you worry, I-"

"Ren," Hifumi's muttered, her voice soft as she reached to curl her fingers in his hair. He looked tired, so very tired, eyelids sagging over his splotchy eyes, the mischievous spark he held in his eyes dimmed as she reached to wipe as many tears as she could from his face.

"It's okay," she cooed, trying to soothe him, Hifumi wrapping her arms around his neck as she reached for his hair, "It's okay to cry,"

"I have to, I have to be strong," Ren whispered harshly, shamefully burying his face in her shoulder, "I have to be strong, I need to,"

"But you don't have to be strong all the time, Ren," she hummed as she continued to stroke the back of his head, curling black locks between her fingers, "Though an Empire is as strong as its Leader, its Leader cannot be strong alone forever. That is where his supporters come in,"

Ren chuckled shakily into her shoulder, still not pulling from her embrace, "You're imparting shogi wisdom on me, aren't you?"

"It seemed appropriate,"

"I'm not objecting," he sniffles a moment later, and Hifumi hummed in delight. Her hand drifted down his neck towards his lower back, drawing comforting lines on it, invisible declarations of love. The two of them stayed in each other's arms, Ren sinking into her arms, enjoying their embrace as they listened to the rain outside.

"I'm sorry," Ren mumbled after a long pause, "I just... I need to be strong for everyone... we still have some unfinished business... I need to be strong,"

"I understand, Ren, but please allow yourself to have moments of weakness, okay? Even if they're around me. I will be strong for you,"

"Does that include our games of shogi?" Ren joked. Hifumi pulled from their hug to look at his face. His eyes were blotchy and red, face flushed, yet there was an unmistakable shine to his eyes as he gave her his signature smirk.

She laughed with glee. 

"Only if you want to lose," Hifumi retorted. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment and a Kudos!
> 
> Feel free to follow me on Twitter at @hanaxsongs!


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